US 5,480,336 AGranted

Water toy construction kit

OwnerCheri A. Blanchardinventor

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Abstract

A water toy construction kit includes a plurality of elongate tubular elements and mating connectors, which elements and connectors provide for the flow of water therethrough. The kit may include rigid and/or flexible elements, and the elements may be opaque, translucent, and/or transparent. At least some of the elements may include radial passages therethrough, either in line or randomly spaced, to provide for the spray of water therethrough. Transparent or translucent tubes may include solid articles therein, which provide movement due to water flow through the tubes. The connectors may include shutoff valves therein to provide for the selective control of water flow through the individual tubes connected thereto. At least one separate element may be provided, which is actuated by free water flow from the remaining structure. An adapter is provided to connect the structure to a standard garden hose connector; the adapter may include a weight to preclude movement of the hose and/or structure due to water flow therethrough. The present kit provides an entertaining way for children to enjoy the refreshing effects of water on a warm day, and provides further enjoyment through the challenge of constructing a structure from the present kit elements.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A water toy construction kit, comprising:

a plurality of differently configured tubular elements and a plurality of connectors therefor, at least one of said tubular elements being transparent, with said tubular elements and said connectors being adapted to dispense water therethrough and therefrom and to provide a variety of different effects due to water flowing therethrough and therefrom,
each of said tubular elements including opposite first and second ends having identical outside diameters, and each of said connectors having at least two connecting ends having identical inside diameters, with said outside diameters of said tubular element ends adapted to mate closely with said inside diameters of said connector connecting ends to provide for removable mating frictional attachment of said tubular elements with said connectors and further to produce substantially leak resistant connecting joints when said tubular element ends are removably inserted into said connector connection ends to form a structure;
at least one connector with mounting means for the attachment of a container for the introduction of foreign matter into an assembled structure formed of said tubular elements and said connectors, with said foreign matter being water soluble dyes of any of a variety of colors;
and
at least one adapter having a threaded end providing for the removable connection of a conventional garden hose having an outlet end to a corresponding one of said connectors of said kit, said adapter having an inlet end compatibly and removably connectible to the conventional garden hose outlet end, an opposite outlet end compatibly and rigidly removably connectible to said at least one of said connectors of said kit, and further including mass means to restrict inadvertent movement of said garden hose outlet end, said adapter, and said at least one of said connectors rigidly connected thereto and any structure connectibly extending therefrom, due to water flow therethrough, whereby the water toy construction kit is used to assemble a structure comprising a plurality of said tubular members removably connected to a plurality of said connectors and is removably connected to the conventional garden hose by means of said adapter, and the garden hose is used to supply water flow to and through the structure with the structure thereby providing a variety of different effects due to water flowing therethrough and therefrom.

2 more elements

A water toy, comprising:

a plurality of differently configured tubular elements and a plurality of connectors therefor, with said tubular elements and said connectors being adapted to dispense water therethrough and therefrom and to provide a variety of different effects due to water flowing therethrough and therefrom, at least one of said tubular elements being transparent,
each of said tubular elements including opposite first and second ends having identical outside diameters, and each of said connectors having at least two connecting ends having identical inside diameters, with said outside diameters of said tubular element ends mated closely with said inside diameters of said connector connecting ends providing removable mating frictional attachment of said tubular elements with said connectors and further producing substantially leak resistant connecting joints as said tubular element ends have been removably inserted into said connector connection ends to form the toy;
at least one connector with mounting means for the attachment of a container for the introduction of foreign matter into an assembled structure formed of said tubular elements and said connectors, with said foreign matter being water soluble dyes of any of a variety of colors;
and
at least one adapter providing for the removable connection of a conventional garden hose, said adapter having an outlet end engaged to a corresponding connector of said water toy, said adapter having a threaded inlet end compatibly connected to the garden hose, said outlet end compatibly and rigidly connected to said corresponding connector of said water toy, and further including mass means to restrict inadvertent movement of said water toy the water toy being removably connected to the conventional garden hose by means of said adapter, where the garden hose is used to supply water flow to and through the toy with the toy thereby providing a variety of different effects due to water flowing therethrough and therefrom.

2 more elements

A water toy, comprising:

a plurality of differently configured tubular elements and a plurality of connectors therefor, with said tubular elements and said connectors being adapted to dispense water therethrough and therefrom and to provide a variety of different effects due to water flowing therethrough and therefrom;
each of said tubular elements including opposite first and second cylindrical ends having identical outside diameters, each of said connectors having at least two connecting ends having identical inside diameters, with said outside diameters of said tubular element ends mated closely with said inside diameters of said connector connecting ends, providing for removable mating frictional attachment of said tubular elements with said connectors and further producing substantially leak proof connecting joints with said tubular element ends removably inserted into said connector connection ends to form the toy;
at least one threaded adapter providing for the removable connection of a conventional garden hose, said adapter having an outlet end attached to a corresponding connector of the water toy, said adapter having an inlet end compatibly connected to a conventional garden hose, said outlet end compatibly and rigidly connected to said corresponding connector of said water toy, said adapter further including mass means to restrict inadvertent movement of said garden hose, said adapter, and the structure extending therefrom, whereby
the water toy is removably connected to the conventional garden hose by means of said adapter, where the garden hose is used to supply water flow to and through the toy with the toy thereby providing a variety of different effects due to water flowing therethrough and therefrom;
a nozzle in at least one of said connectors;
and
a water intake component positioned separately from, adjacent to, and below said nozzle, said water intake component having a funnel dimensioned and configured to receive water from said nozzle and deliver the water to a water apparatus in which a rotating vane rotates under pressure of the water.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.